Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2014; 18 - a2400
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1389026

Audiometric Profile in Children Attended at an Infant Audiology Outpatient Clinic

Graziela da Silva Oliveira 1, Camilla Vaz Severo 1, Cristina Loureiro Chaves Soldera 1, Gabriela Pereira da Silva 1, Isabela Hoffmeister Menegotto 1, Márcia Salgado Machado 1
  • 1Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre

Introduction: Hearing is a precondition for the acquisition and development of language. Many children are later identified with hearing loss, which can impair their development.

Objective: To verify the audiometric profile of children attended at an infant audiology outpatient clinic.

Methods: This is a retrospective study in which the analysis of the pure-tone audiometry data of 262 children from 4 to 11 years old was performed. There were analyzed the data of 524 ears that were categorized as follows: normal hearing (hearing thresholds better than 15 dB), conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.

Results: The results showed 344 (65.64%) ears presenting normal hearing, 104 (19.85%) conductive hearing loss, 68 (12.98%) sensorineural hearing loss, and 8 (1.53%) mixed hearing loss. Regarding the degree of hearing loss, 182 (34.74%) ears presented hearing loss, with prevalence of minimal degree in 48 (26.38%) ears. There was no prevalence of hearing impairment comparing right and left ears.

Conclusion: The conductive hearing loss and the minimum degree of hearing loss were the most frequently observed characteristics in the studied subjects.

Keywords: Hearing loss, child, audiometry.